That's it! The only ism I want to come out of your mouths is jism. Overacademic Bullshit Must Die.

Martin, I definitely feel some kinship to that "other group" you mention. I really like your last point about how explaining individual ideas opens up the conversation to a larger community.

Mark, I do see what you mean about the possibility of conventionally "bad" writing to contain nuggets of instinctual insight that "good" writing might obscure. My only caveat would be that writers strive for the instinctual insights rather than the confusion. If confusion results, so be it. But sometimes I get the feeling that certain writers like this willfully allusive style for its own sake.

Oops: "he lucidly explains things that I already had a instinctual grasp of" --> You don't find this valuable in itself? Or would you prefer to keep all your thoughts on an instinctual level? (Personally, I love when a writer does this; it helps me communicate my instincts to others.)

It's easier to say you had an "instinctual" grasp of something when it has a name. ;-)

what's wrong with anti-intellectualism?

So weird to read 2003-me arguing about this stuff.

how is this thread not about stylus? or at least their metal reviews.

But Rockism > Popism...isnt it?

2003 was not a good year for me.